    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [November 17, 2004]
    [Pages 2979-2980]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress Transmitting the Japan-United States Social
    Security Agreement
    November 17, 2004

    To the Congress of the United States:
        Pursuant to section 233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, as amended
    by the Social Security Amendments of 1977 (Public Law 95-216, 42 U.S.C.
    433(e)(1)), I transmit herewith the Agreement between the United States
    of America and Japan on Social Security, which consists of two separate
    instruments: a principal agreement and an administrative arrangement.
    The Agreement was signed at Washington on February 19, 2004.
        The United States-Japan Agreement is similar in objective to the
    social security agreements already in force with Australia, Austria,
    Belgium, Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland,
    Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
    Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Such bilateral agreements
    provide for limited coordination between the United States and foreign
    social security systems to eliminate dual social security coverage and
    taxation, and to help prevent the lost benefit protection that can occur
    when workers divide their careers between two countries. The United
    States-Japan Agreement contains all provisions mandated by section 233
    and other provisions which I deem appropriate to carry out the purposes
    of section 233, pursuant to section 233(c)(4).
        I also transmit for the information of the Congress a report
    prepared by the Social Security Administration explaining the key points
    of the Agreement, along with a paragraph-by-paragraph explanation of the
    provisions of the principal agreement and the related administrative
    arrangement. Annexed to this report is the report required by section
    233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, a report on the effect of the
    Agreement on income and expenditures of the United States Social
    Security program and the number of individuals affected by the
    Agreement.
        The Department of State and the Social Security Administration have
    recommended the Agreement and related documents to me.
        I commend to the Congress the United States-Japan Social Security
    Agreement and related documents.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     November 17, 2004.

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